Friday, September 23, 2011

2011 Meet the Misses v.12 - Miss Namibia 2011

Namibia, situated in southwestern Africa, obtained their independence in 1990. It is one of the youngest republics of the planet. A little over 2 million people live in the great territorial extension of the country, making it the second least densely populated nation in the world. Namibia has a large variety of ecosystems. The Namib, Coastal and Kalahari Deserts cover a considerable portion of the nation. The Kalahari is the best known geographical feature of the nation. Other areas include the Central Plateau, where most of Namibia's economic activity takes place, The Great Escarpment that swiftly rises to over 2000 meters and Bushveld which experiences the cooler temperatures in Namibia. Tourism, agriculture and mining are the back bone of the country's economy. Namibia debuted in Miss World 1989. Two of their delegates placed in the semifinals in 1991 and 2006. The highest placement was Michelle McLean who finished as 4th runner-up in 1991. This year, Miss Namibia 2011, Luzaan Van Wyk, will represent the nation in London.

The Times of Beauty proudly presents Luzaan Van Wyk, Miss Namibia 2011, in an exclusive interview for our interview series, Meet the Misses.

1. Give us an introduction of yourself.

I am 24 years old and was born and raised in Windhoek, Namibia. I am a graduate from the University of Stellenbosch where I obtained my degree in Law in 2010. I currently work as a candidate legal practitioner in Windhoek and aspire to become an advocate within the next ten years. I have one sibling, a 21-year old brother. I spend my free time either relaxing at home or catching up with friends, exercising, walking my dogs or watching a movie. I especially like camping and being outdoors, or traveling and visiting new places in Namibia.

2. Tell us a bit more about your country and hometown.

I live in Windhoek, the capital city of Namibia. Namibia has a small population of approximately 2,1 million people and there are 12 different ethnic groups within Namibia. The official language in Namibia is English, however various other languages are widely observed, like Afrikaans, German, Oshiwambo, Oshiherero, Nama and Damara. Namibia is renowned for it’s picturesque landscapes and vast stretches of uninhabited land. Namibia is home to the Big 5, Sossusvlei, the Namib Desert and the Etosha National Park to name just a few of our tourist hot-spots.

3. What does it mean to you to represent your country at the 61st Miss World finals?

It is an honor and an absolute privilege to be one of only 31 girls in Namibian history to say they were able to participate in an international beauty pageant like Miss World. It is my responsibility to go to Miss World and represent Namibia and to be an ambassador for my country and it’s people. I believe it is an opportunity to promote my beautiful country and to unite all Namibians to support me as their representative at a prestige event such as Miss World.

4. If you have to choose a song to describe yourself, which would you choose and why?

Summer of ’69 – by Bryan Adams. I absolutely love that song. It is such a fun and upbeat song and it reminds of my younger days. When I was young my dad had that Bryan Adams CD and we would listen to that song on my way to school. And I have had the opportunity to see Bryan Adams live in concert. I really think he is a very talented musician.

5. How would you describe a typical day in your life?

Busy, interesting (I meet new people and I am faced with new challenges everyday), never a dull moment.

6. Where do you see yourself 10 years from now?

As a successful and well-established lawyer or maybe even an advocate specializing in family law.

7. Which well known person from your country you most admire and why?

Definitely Michelle McLean for her national as well as her international successes both past and present. She was crowned Miss Namibia at the tender age of 18 and subsequently crowned as Miss Universe. She is a dynamic Namibian women who still acts as an ambassador for Namibia today. She is still actively involved with the Michelle McLean Children’s Trust and it’s charity work and continues to reach out to many Namibians, especially children in need. She is a philanthropist and a role model to many Namibians especially young girls.

8. If you had to choose any other country to live in, which one would you choose and why?

Why would I want to live anywhere else but Namibia? But if I had to choose, I would choose Greece. It is a very historic country, Athens is the birthplace of the Olympic Games and I would love to see Mount Olympus and visit the island of Mykonos. I love Greek cuisine.

9. After the Sendai Earthquake, nuclear energy has become a focus of attention. Are you in favor or against the use of this kind of energy as a way to reduce the dependence on oil?

The use of nuclear energy definitely is a means of reducing carbon emissions which contribute to the increasing problem of global warming, however it’s use is contested by various organizations like Greenpeace because it poses such an imminent threat if not regulated properly. I think if scientific advances and research can guarantee the 100% safety of the use of nuclear energy, it would be beneficial to instead resort to the use of nuclear energy globally.

10. What do you think is the worst kind of human injustice or prejudice happening now?

The terrorist attacks in Norway on the 22nd of July 2011 were absolutely atrocious and it shocked people around the world. The attack left 96 people severely injured or dead. The political unrest and civil war currently going on in Libya is also an unnecessary pursuit of war and it has a devastating effect on the lives of many innocent people.

11. What are your duties as Miss Namibia?

Miss Namibia firstly has a duty to always be a role model. It’s Miss Namibia’s duty to plough back into the community where need is identified or some form of assistance is required. I want to make it my duty to do as much as I can, with the help of members of the public and generous sponsor’s, to identify charitable organizations and causes and to assist them in any way possible. I want to help the elderly, children, people who are less fortunate and animals.

12. What role can social media (ex. Facebook, Twitter, etc) play in the life of a beauty pageant titleholder?

A social network like Facebook can be a great tool to make use of during my reign as Miss Namibia. Almost everyone has access to Facebook via the internet or their cell phones. It is an ideal way to keep people up to date with the causes you are involved in by uploading pictures of what your doing and to get feedback from the public on suggestions and ideas they might have to help you in your projects for charity. It’s a way of promoting yourself, creating awareness, staying in touch and to get support from your fellow Namibians.

13. What does it mean to be a human being?

The ability to think and reason for yourself. To be compassionate and caring, to be able to show and experience love and have mutual respect for another person.

14. What do you feel is your purpose in life?

To be able to say that at the end of the day that I made a difference or touched the life of at least one person.

15. Share a message to your supporters and readers of The Times of Beauty.

I would like to thank everyone who have supported me on my journey to becoming Miss Namibia, thank you for each and every word of encouragement, your messages, hand-shakes and support.

Beauty lies in the eye of the beholder and every single person is beautiful and unique in their own right.

--------------------------------------------------------------------This interview is for exclusive use at TimesOfBeauty.com. Copying the contents is not allowed without permission from the website's director. Contact us at webmaster@worldofmisses.com

The Times of Beauty offers annual coverage of the two best beauty pageants in the planet: Miss World and Miss Universe. The website and its owner are not related in any form or manner whatsoever with these international pageants. "Miss World" and "Mister World" are property of Miss World Limited based in London, United Kingdom. "Miss Universe" is property of Miss Universe L.P., LLLP based in New York, New York, United States. The Times of Beauty does not claim credit or ownership for any images featured unless otherwise noted. We aim to give credit when we can. All visual content is copyright to its respectful owners.